Crisis Communication: Practical PR strategies for reputation management and company survival

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Crises have always been a part of the business world-yet they still take companies by surprise. Planning is absolutely essential if an organization wants to stand a real chance of surviving any kind of crisis. Every day, accidents and disasters make the news headlines. It is vital that companies are able to limit potential damage and provide a clear message from the organization involved to the public and the media. Crisis Communication provides indispensable information on a wealth of topics, including crisis preparation, crisis survival and reputation management. Written by communication experts from all over the world, this truly international and informative crisis manual is compelling reading for CEOs, general managers, marketing and communication officers, public relations practitioners and students of public relations. Senior management and leaders within companies embroiled in a crisis have learn t the hard way what happens when the unthinkable becomes a reality - an accident results in death or injury; a failed company takeover causes share prices to plummet, or toxic foods, drinks or medicines leads to mass hysteria. All attention focuses on the guilty parties - and the media can be expected to make this crisis headline news within a matter of hours. No company or organization is immune to crisis. Everyday, businesses run the risk of being affected. However, a crisis does not necessarily have to turn into a disaster for the business or organization involved. Crisis Communication provides readers with practical advice on how to limit damage effectively by acting quickly and positively. This comprehensive & accessible title also explains how to turn a crisis into an opportunity by communicating efficiently, through the use of successful public relations strategies. Crisis Communication is a thorough guide that will help prepare your organization for any future calamities. It provides essential information on: Accountability Crisis communication planning; Building your corporate image; Natural disasters and accidents; Financial and legal crises; Food crises; Dealing with negative press; Media training; Including international case studies, crisis communication checklists and simple crisis preparation documents, this book is essential reading for CEOs, general managers, communication officers, public relations practitioners and students of public relations. About The Author Peter Frans Anthonissen is an expert in the field of reputation management and Crisis Communication. He studied law at the universities of Antwerp, Leuven and Cambridge. After having been a professional journalist, he founded the communication consultancy A&A in 1987. His clients have included Renault, Coca-Cola, GM, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Janssen Pharmaceutica, as well as many other leading organizations. He has published ten books on communication management and is a visiting professor at Antwerp University Management School. He is President EMEA of IPREX, one of the world’s major corporations of independent public relations firms. Table of Contents No Thrillers, But Hard RealityIntroduction There are no guarantees Stakeholders are everywhere The accountability factor Annoying threats Crises are challenges Successful crisis communication - principles Learn lessons from what has happened A crisis for every day of the week Conclusion Proactive Crisis Communication Planning Introduction Need for a plan What is a crisis? What a crisis plan provides Elements of a plan People The plan Conclusion Image as a Part of Corporate Strategy Introduction Reputations add value over time Determining how you want to be known Establishing competitive advantage Communicating what you stand for Planning to reach all potential audiences Turning vision into reality Tell real stories Appeal to higher standards, bigger ideas Conclusion CalamitiesIntroduction Aeroplane accidents Natural disasters Being prepared: Alaska Airlines When fire strikes-twice Conclusion The New Dynamics of Financial CrisisIntroduction Understanding financial crisis Institutional investors: potentialagents of crisis Responding to financial crisis Conclusion Fraud Introduction Gather the facts Legal issues must be sorted out Third-party validation Delay and denial compound the problem When your client is a victim of fraud Implementing an action plan Conclusion Reorganization and restructuring Introduction Swiss purchase of US financial services company Moving business from The Netherlands to Germany Goodwill is vital in a closure situation Conclusion A Multitude of Challenges for the International Food Sector Food safety Health and diet issues Crisis preparation is the key to success Stakeholders The need for proactive communication The media Conclusion Case study Negative Press and How to Deal With ItIntroduction Prepare early and often Mitigate impact with proactive response Detecting a negative story before it appears No ostriches need apply Building bridges toward recovery Conclusion Case study There is no substitute for media trainingIntroduction Who should we train? Whoshould do the training Other resources Who are the media? Developing the crisis message Know the rules of the game Conducting the training Conclusion How Senior Management Can Make the Crisis Worse Introduction How it can all go wrong Managing to make it worse Getting it right How to demonstrate leadership Avoidance is endemic The danger signs Conclusion Judgement DaysIntroduction Case study Conclusion Environmental Crisis CommunicationsIntroduction Laying the groundwork: creating a culture of environmental stewardship When a crisis hits Conclusion Crisis Communication and the Net Introduction The nature of the net... fast, expansive, inclusive and a great leveller New medium, new risks The power to empower a crisis New tools, new opportunities The new ground rules Crisis communications-engagement versus pronouncements Conclusion Organizational Barriers to Crisis and Public Affairs ManagementIntroduction Dismissing the issue, marginalizing the opposition Averting a crisis by early action Corporate resources can’t trump a crisis Responding to a crisis with real process change Assuming a quick fix will make the problem go away Confusing facts with perception Combating the corporate siege mentality Conclusion Risk ManagersIntroduction When brands do not measure up to public opinion ‘Social autism’ Turning public opinion into an asset The brand-its financial and social implications Risks, risk managers and crisis communication Company governance: a new source of crisis Conclusion Crisis Communication ChecklistsPreparations Public groups and stakeholders Crisis centre What’s in your crisis-communication survival kit? Background information Employee training dealing with the media Crisis manual How to handle a crisis Crisis strategy Crisis communication Index